Introduction
Agriculture in India is more than just an occupation. It’s the soul of its villages, the breath of its economy, and the very reason our plates are full. But even in 2025, we’re yet to give our farmers the dignity they deserve—not just socially, but legally too.
It’s not just about crops and cows; it’s about Mitti (sand), legacy, and zindagi (life). Still, for years, farming has been seen as ‘backward,’ a profession that belongs in the past. But is that true? Or have we just failed to look at it from the right lens?
Today, with the rapid rise in technology, even farming has undergone a beautiful transformation. This isn’t just kheti (farming); this is modern farming, where science and soil shake hands.
The image of a farmer in India has long been stuck in time—an old man with a plough, praying for rain. What once depended only on monsoon and manual labour is now aided by drones, sensors, climate control, and smart irrigation. The era of modern farming—scientifically known as industrial or conventional farming—is here. Yet, our laws and policies still struggle to keep pace.
But more than just techniques, it’s about the mindset of doing something different, despite people calling you mad.
Mitti Ek Nayi Pehchan – A Story Rooted In Every Village
A recently released web series, “Mitti – Ek Nayi Pehchan”, streaming on Amazon MX Player, narrates the soul of India’s real farmers. It isn’t a film—it’s a reflection. It beautifully captures how a grandson takes forward his grandfather’s dream of farming—not in an old way, but with modern ideas.
He doesn’t settle for selling roses in a local mandi at throwaway prices. Instead, he dares to dream bigger. He learns about government subsidy schemes, applies for loans, and protects his crops from unpredictable weather, pests, and heavy rainfall. With courage in his heart and a government subsidy in hand, he invests in a polyhouse. And with it, he plants not just roses, but the seeds of hope.
The story unfolds how, even when he had the money to repay a loan, he chose to first complete his grandfather’s dream. Because for him, farming wasn’t about profit—it was personal.
When success blooms, the headlines say, “Gulaab ke phoolon se tarakki ki khushboo.” That one line sums up what this country is capable of when its farmers are supported, not pitied.
This story isn’t fiction; it’s reality for thousands of aspiring farmers using greenhouse technology, solar irrigation, and polyhouse methods. But the show also captures the struggle to access rights. A village officer who hides her identity to uncover local corruption reflects a major issue: implementation of agri-subsidies is often weak, delayed, or manipulated.
This is where legal systems must step in—not with sympathy, but with structured protection.
Understanding The Legal Side Of Modern Farming
Modern agriculture operates under several laws, but these are often outdated or poorly enforced. A few key frameworks include:
- The Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (Amended 2020): Regulates supply and pricing of certain crops, now with relaxed controls to encourage investment. However, it has sparked debates over hoarding and farmer exploitation.
- Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020: Legalises contract farming between farmers and corporates, but received criticism for weak grievance mechanisms and tilted bargaining power.
- The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020: Allows trade of produce outside APMCs without state taxes. Good in theory, but poor implementation led to nationwide protests and eventual repeal in 2021.
- National Horticulture Board Subsidies under MIDH: Offers 50–70% subsidies for polyhouse structures up to 4000 sq. meters. Yet, the application process lacks transparency and legal safeguards.
- The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013: Often overlooked in agri-infrastructure projects, leaving farmers vulnerable to unjust land seizures.
The Legal Gaps Farmers Still Face
Even with multiple schemes and policies, the right to knowledge is absent. Most small or marginal farmers are unaware of:
- How to access subsidies
- Their right to insurance under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
- How to file complaints under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, if sold poor-quality seeds or fake fertilizers
- That they can seek relief under the Indian Contract Act, 1872, in unfair contract farming deals
Legal literacy is a fundamental gap. The law must ensure that rights don’t remain on paper. Legal awareness isn’t a luxury—it’s a right. And rights buried in PDFs are rights denied.
High Cost, Higher Dreams: The Truth About Polyhouse Farming
Polyhouse farming offers controlled climate to grow high-value crops like roses, capsicum, and strawberries. It can reduce crop loss due to climate disasters by over 60%, yet its adoption is limited because of:
- High initial costs (₹6–₹10 lakhs per acre)
- Complex subsidy documentation
- Lack of legal aid if loans go wrong
- Minimal grievance redressal for farmers denied benefits
The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) launched in 2020 promised ₹1 lakh crore to support agri-tech infrastructure. But awareness and proper legal execution are still missing at the grassroots. The question is: how many farmers even know about this? How many get the benefit without middlemen and corruption?
The Law Needs To Hold The Plough Too
While modern farmers take risks, experiment, and innovate, the law still walks two steps behind. Farmers still face hurdles due to outdated land ownership laws, poor insurance implementation, lack of digital literacy, and weak enforcement of MSP (Minimum Support Price).
The 2020 farm laws that aimed to revolutionize agricultural markets were met with massive protests—not because the farmers hated change, but because they weren’t consulted. Trust matters. When you’re touching someone’s rozi-roti, it must be with care, not command.
Even today, many farmers are pushed to suicide because of debt, humiliation, and pressure. They feed the country, but often can’t feed their own families. Isn’t it time the legal system stood up for them as much as it does for corporations?
From Iit To Kheti: Modern Farming Is A Movement Now
This isn’t just about innovation—it’s about who the law chooses to support. People often think farming is for those who have ‘no other option.’ But now, a quiet revolution is turning that idea upside down.
Take Abhay Singh and Amit Kumar, both IIT-Bombay graduates from Kota, Rajasthan. They left their high-paying jobs and started farming pesticide-free vegetables. Their venture now delivers fresh produce to thousands, with a turnover of ₹100 crore. Their success isn’t accidental; it’s what happens when ambition meets infrastructure—and the law doesn’t stand in the way.
Or Harshit Godha, who left his job to start avocado farming, a crop still rare in India. He’s now an example of how modern farming isn’t a fallback, but a fast-forward. There are many other examples too in our country.
Across India, nearly 2,800 agri-tech startups have been recognised under the Startup India initiative. This isn’t a trend anymore—it’s a wave.
Conclusion – ‘Apni Mitti, Apni Pehchan’
Every flower, avocado, or crop that blooms under a polyhouse is not just a crop. It’s a story of a farmer’s risk, a grandfather’s legacy dream, and a real rozi roti revolution.
It’s time we stop calling farming gaav ka kaam and start calling it what it is—India ka future.
This isn’t just a farmer’s battle. This is India’s battle. If farming dies, food dies. If food dies, no business, no startups, no fancy life can survive. We must treat farming as an industry, not charity. It needs investment, legal support, proper policy, and above all, respect.
So, let’s rewrite this narrative. Let modern farming become the headline, not the footnote. Let farming be taught in schools—not just as a land issue, but as a life issue.
We need campaigns to promote modern farming, scholarships for Agri-textbooks and Agri-entrepreneurship, and digital awareness drives for schemes. Let every farmer know they don’t need to fight alone. The law must be their first partner, not their last hope. Justice should germinate where seeds are sown.
“Magic doesn’t happen at the snap of a finger, but with passion, it can.” The legal system must match that passion with structure and support.
Because when gulaab ke phool bloom under the shelter of rights and reforms, it’s not just fragrance in the air—it’s the real krishi kranti.
